How to update Ubuntu using the Terminal or Update Manager [Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin]

For some reasons the system has given me internal errors since the last two start-ups.

My cousin suggested the reason to be the dual-boot thus not everything was upgraded. To try iron out the problems, she suggested updating the system manually using the Terminal. Then remove unneeded packages using the Terminal as well.

I stopped using the Terminal after i had some problems with the update or something and have been updating using the Update Manager since. The problem happened some releases back. That's why i haven't update that post although aware of the change in command line. But there's no reason not to make a new post now.

Part A: Update using the Terminal

Pic 1 - The Terminal window.

1. Run the Terminal window.

i'm used to the Launcher being auto-hidden in Ubuntu 11.10 so i had the Launcher hidden for Ubuntu 12.04 as well.

1.1. Go all the way to the left of the screen to call-out the Launcher. Skip this step if your Launcher is not auto-hidden.

1.2. In the Launcher, click the Dash Home icon, see Pic 2 and Pic 3.

Pic 2 - Refer to Step 1.2. The Dash Home icon in Launcher.

Pic 3 - Refer to Step 1.2. Accessing the Terminal.

1.3. In the Search field, type-in "terminal", see Pic 3.

The search results will auto-filter.

1.4. In the filtered results, click the Terminal icon, see Pic 4.

The Terminal window will appear, see Pic 1.

Pic 4 - Refer to Step 1.4. The Terminal icon.

2. To get the list of packages, type into the Terminal the command line, see Pic 5:

sudo apt-get update

then press the Enter button.

Pic 5 - Refer to Step 2. Getting the updates.

3. The password prompt for user, see Pic 6:

[sudo] password for aisha:

will appear immediately below the command line in Step 2.

Type-in your password then press the Enter button.

The password itself (i.e., ABC123) or characters representing the password (i.e., ******) will not appear as you type-in your password. Even the cursor doesn't move as the password is typed-in, instead it remains blinking in the same spot.

The fetching is done when the line, see Pic 7:

Reading package lists... Done

appears.

Pic 6 - Refer to Step 3. The requested password.

Pic 7 - Refer to Step 3. Done fetching lists of packages.

4. To see the list of updates required for your system, type into the Terminal the command line, see Pic 8:

sudo apt-get install

then press the Enter button.

..., see Pic 9:

To install the updates, type into the Terminal, see Pic 10:

y

then press the Enter button.

Pic 8 - Refer to Step 4.

Pic 9 - Refer to Step 4. *No updates at the moment to make screenshot.*

Pic 10 - Refer to Step 4. *No updates at the moment to make screenshot.*

Note 1: Autoremove

Sometimes you get the, see Pic 11:

The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:

response.

Pic 11 - The no longer required packages.

5. To automatically remove obsolete/unnecessary packages, type into the Terminal the command line, see Pic 12:

sudo apt-get autoremove

then press the Enter button.

Pic 12 - Refer to Step 5. Removing the unnecessary packages.

6. When asked, see Pic 13:

Do you want to continue [Y/n]?

Type in:

y

to continue the removal process then press the Enter button.

Type in:

n

to quit the removal process then press the Enter button.

The removal process is done when the line (user@computer:~$), see Pic 14:

aisha@Lenovo-Aisha:~$

appears.

Pic 13 - Refer to Step 6. Confirming the removal process.

Pic 14 - Refer to Step 6. The removal process is complete.

Note 2: Upgrade

Sometimes you get the, see Pic 15:

0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 35 not upgraded.

response.

Pic 15 - Packages need to be upgraded.

7. To upgrade the packages, type into the Terminal the command line, see Pic 16:

sudo apt-get upgrade

then press the Enter button.

The list of packages needing upgrade will be listed, see Pic 17.

Pic 16 - Refer to Step 7. Upgrading the necessary packages.

Pic 17 - Refer to Step 7. The list of packages needing an upgrade.

8. When asked, see Pic 18:

Do you want to continue [Y/n]?

Type in:

y

to continue the removal process then press the Enter button.

Type in:

n

to quit the removal process then press the Enter button.

The removal process is done when the line (user@computer:~$), see Pic 14:

aisha@Lenovo-Aisha:~$

appears.

Pic 18 - Refer to Step 8. Confirming the upgrading process.

Part B: Update using the Update Manager

Pic 19 - The Update Manager window.

9. Run the Update Manager window.

9.1. Go all the way to the left of the screen to call-out the Launcher. Skip this step if your Launcher is not auto-hidden.

9.2. In the Launcher, click the Dash Home icon, see Pic 2 and Pic 20.

Pic 20 - Refer to Step 9.2. Accessing the Update Manager window.

9.3. In the Search field, type-in "update", see Pic 20.

The search results will auto-filter.

9.4. In the filtered results, click the Update Manager icon, see Pic 21.

The Update Manager window will appear, see Pic 19.

Pic 21 - Refer to Step 9.4. The Update Manager icon.

10. In the Update Manager window, click the Check button to check for updates, see Pic 22.

Pic 22 - Refer to Step 10. *No updates at the moment to make screenshot.*

11. A tick mark is automatically put in the box next to the updates.

Click the Install Updates button to install the updates, see Pic 23.

Pic 23 - Refer to Step 11. *No updates at the moment to make screenshot.*

Note 3: Pinning the Update Manager to the Launcher

12. To "pin" the Update Manager icon in the Launcher, run the Update Manager. See Step 1.